Patriots Journal: Fletcher hopes all the hard work pays off

FOXBORO — Dane Fletcher feels like he belongs on the football field again, which is a huge step forward after what happened last season.The linebacker and special teams ace was one of the first casualties...

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PAUL KENYON
Posted Aug. 19, 2013 @ 10:33 pm

FOXBORO — Dane Fletcher feels like he belongs on the football field again, which is a huge step forward after what happened last season.

The linebacker and special teams ace was one of the first casualties of 2012, suffering a torn ACL in a preseason game against New Orleans. While Fletcher had been one of the undrafted free agents to make a name for himself with the Pats — he started five games in 2011 — he was put on waivers after he was hurt.

Any team could have taken him. None did, so the Pats were able to take him back. Fletcher worked so hard to return that he received one of the awards the Patriots handed out for dedication in the training room this past offseason.

“Dane has worked really hard,” coach Bill Belichick said Monday. “While everybody else was playing, he was working hard in the weight room and rehabbing. He had a full spring. Fortunately for this year, the injury occurred early last year so he had almost a full calendar year to rehab it. But he worked very hard and diligently on that.

“I think he’s moving well. I think his play has improved. I think he has a lot of confidence in his physical ability and he hasn’t missed anything. He’s been out there all spring, all training camp. He’s had a big role for us in the kicking game. He’s played well, definitely, so I think he’s had a real good comeback from that injury.”

Fletcher is not assured of a job because the Pats are deep at linebacker. But he feels ready to contribute.

“I’m comfortable. It takes lot of to be comfortable after being out a year,” he said. “I’m still picking up a few things, but I’ve put last year in the past. I’m staying positive. … I dedicated myself to stay positive, stay motivated and take as much as I possibly can when I’m not on the field.

“I look at everything on two sides,” he said. “In a way I learned a lot more about the game than I probably would have known if I was on the field. That’s what I took out of it.”

He learned by spending time studying film.

“When you are on the field, it’s one thing. You’re getting the reality of it. You’re seeing it for yourself,” Fletcher pointed out. “If you take a step back and really pay attention, almost like in the classroom and just watch film, really learn about routes, what quarterbacks want to do and what [offensive] coordinators want to get out of their offense.”

He even learned about himself.

“I had forgotten how much I loved the game,” he said. “Now I’m having fun again like in high school.”

If you say so

In what has become a regular part of training camp, Belichick was asked about the progress of Tim Tebow, that coming off Tebow’s 1-for-7 effort for minus one yard, with one interception, Friday night. His answer indicated Tebow should not be judged only by what happened during the game against the Bucs.

“Yeah, definitely,” Belichick responded when asked if he was seeing improvement in Tebow. “I think if you look at the entire week last week that it will look different than the game did. In some cases, the game looked better for some players; in some cases, the game didn’t maybe look as good as some things during the week. We’ll just have to try to take all that into consideration.”

The coach was asked if he judges running quarterbacks like Tebow different than drop-back passers.

“The passing game is still the passing game,” he said. “All players have different skill sets and some guys do some things better than others. You have to look at the total package and what they’re able to do in all areas of the game.

“I think we see a lot of good quarterbacks in the NFL. They aren’t all maybe the best passers, but their ability to run and pass and make plays, however they make them — design plays, scramble plays, whatever it is — makes them a high-level player. I don’t think there’s one specific style you have to have or don’t have to have. In the end it’s about production and being able to do enough things to be successful.”

And so it begins

The Patriots are not waiting until next week’s cut day to begin reducing their roster.

As it was, the Pats already were three below the limit, so they are now at 84, six below the 90-man limit.

Edds played in two games for the Patriots in 2011 and nine games with the Colts, but spent all of last season on inured reserve. Mattes was injured in Friday’s victory over the Bucs and Vallone was a member of the Rutgers alumni club on the Pats.

Belichick indicated that replacements are not likely.

“It’s not like we’re flying five guys in here tonight,” he responded when asked if the vacancies would be filled.

Teams must cut down to 75 on Aug. 27 and then to 53 on Aug. 31. With travel to Detroit and a game Friday night, there would be very little time to evaluate new players before cuts have to be made, he pointed out.

He did not rule out signing one or two players if they fill a need.

Amendola sits out

Danny Amendola, who had six early catches in the game against Tampa Bay last week, missed practice, the first time he has missed a session.